David Allan Roby

David Allan Roby, 74, of Clearwater, FL, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, died Dec. 10, 2014. David was born June 20, 1940, in Des Moines, Iowa. He grew up on a farm near Carthage, SD, and graduated from Fedora High School in 1958. After high school, he attended South Dakota School of Mines, majoring in engineering. A year later, he returned home to help with the family farm. While still helping on the farm, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1963. He volunteered for parachute jump school and served in the Green Berets at Fort Bragg, NC, specializing in helicopter maintenance. In 1965, he was honorably discharged. He met his future wife, JoAnne Klaus, at a dance in 1966, and the two were married in Emery, SD, on July 1, 1967. After leaving the Army, he worked construction until returning to college at South Dakota State University in 1967. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics in 1970. Having won a fellowship to pursue his Masters Degree, he graduated the following year from the University of South Dakota with his Masters in Business Administration. Out of college, David was hired by Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company where he would work for the next 34 years. After beginning in the home office in Milwaukee, WI, he was transferred in 1979 to Tampa, FL, where he opened a new commercial real estate investment office. He served there as a district and later regional manager for his company. His many accomplishments with the company included putting together in 1983 his company’s then largest single real estate deal when his company purchased a two-thirds interest in the Tampa City Center for $108 million in conjunction with GTE Corporation. David was active in the Tampa Real Estate Investment Council and the Tampa Downtown Partnership. He retired in 2005. David was an avid golfer with his proudest achievement being a hole in one. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved cheering on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Florida State Seminoles. He liked to travel, and he and JoAnne took several cruises and trips abroad as well as visiting almost all of the U.S. states. While traveling, he would often take the road less traveled, exploring unpaved back roads and byways. He loved to play cards, and he and JoAnne belonged to various bridge groups. He always enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren in all of their sports and other activities. He served as a Pack Master and Webelos leader for his son’s Cub Scout troop and helped to coach his daughter’s middle school basketball and baseball teams. He and JoAnne delivered Meals on Wheels for several years after he retired, and he volunteered for AARP to help seniors prepare their tax returns. He was a member of Espiritu Santo Catholic Church in Safety Harbor, FL. David is survived by his wife of 47 years, JoAnne, two children, David Roby Jr. (Loretta) of Vienna, VA, and Mari DeMauro (Scott) of Safety Harbor, FL; four grandchildren, Rebecca and Gabriella Roby of Vienna, VA, Colin DeMauro of Oldsmar, FL and Aidan DeMauro of Safety Harbor, FL; four sisters, Patricia Holmquist (Curt] of Agency, MO, Loretta Stroud (Gary) of Carthage, SD, Dorothy Zoss (Adolf) of Letcher, SD, and Donna Branson (Dan) of Sioux Falls, SD; one brother, Gerald Roby of Sioux Falls, SD; and numerous nephews and nieces. His parents, Gerald and Marion Roby, and one sister, Betty Hein, preceded him in death.